Focus On Your Strengths
ENDURING LEADERSHIP
Focus on your strengths: that’s a famous lesson from the one and only John Maxwell.
For me, before there was Maxwell, there was Dad. As a kid, Dad would say, “Play the games you can win.” Dad did just that.
My Dad was an avid golfer. He’d get home after working a long day and go to the practice range. He was good…very good. He’d often shoot under par. The fellas at the country club always wanted Dad on their team when it came time to play.
Dad was also a great bass fisherman. He was so good, in fact, that when the pros would come to town for a major fishing tournament, they’d call Dad and ask him to go out with them. They wanted to see where he fished, how he fished, what he fished with, and when he fished.
They knew if they could replicate what “Mr. Jack” was doing they’d stand a good chance of winning.
You’d never see Dad participating in a football game or soccer. Why? Dad played in the arenas where he could win. In other words, he focused on his strengths.
At Dad’s memorial service, one of his best friends came to me and said, “Your dad only played where he could win. If he couldn’t be the best, your dad didn’t mess with it.” He was right.
There’s a lesson here for leaders: play where you can win.
What are you good at? Let that be your wheelhouse. Where are you weak? Be honest and hire people to support you in those areas. You can’t be good at everything. It’s impossible.
If you’re great at vision casting, but grow weary in the tedious tasks, then hire a talented project manager who can guide projects. You can’t just cast a vision. There must be doing and accomplishing taking place.
Stay in your lane and you’ll find success will be a tad easier.
Be like Dad…play where you can win. Do that and you’ll be on the path to leadership endurance.